Embedded Files
Having been off the road since 1977, luckily I had the foresight to write to DVLA in 1983 asking them to retain the original registration etc.
When my son Simon was 13 years old, we decided to rebuild the Moke. We got it back to our house in Upwey from my grandmother's nice dry garage and stripped it right down during starting in September 1991. In May 1993, a bodyshop in Sutton Poyntz (near Weymouth) offered to rebuild the bodyshell and repaint it on the condition that he could take some time fitting it when work was slack ! The cost was only £300 so it seemed like a good deal. We chose blue as the body colour rather than orange ! (VW (76/77) colour - Riff Blau EF40). The original plan was to use the engine from my mother's (P reg) Mini - the bodywork was in poor condition but the engine was low mileage. However, this did not happen and it many ways it was good to retain many of the original engine parts.
We contacted Runamoke Ltd (Ron Smith) who had moved to Essex and purchased a rollbar and various other fittings and Moke components during the rebuild (using recently introduced fax as a means of communication). We had the original gearbox rebuilt by Steve (?? ) of B J Autobits in Cranborne, Dorset and purchased a reconditioned short engine from a Court Engineering of Yetminster, Dorset. A new wiring harness and all new brake pipes, master and slave cylinders, wheel bearings, steering rack etc were fitted along with many components sourced locally - Crescent Street autoparts of Weymouth and Autobits of Dorchester were both very useful and efficient in getting things in those pre-internet days. The bucket seats purchased in 1970 from Runamoke were reused but with new seat belts using the new rollbar as modern standard anchor points. A later type detachable front grille was fitted to cover the crude hole in the front panel and to give good access to the front of the engine. Five new tyres were purchased and the sub frames were in good condition and reused. Rear one having been renewed in 1976.
Finally, we contacted DVLA quoting our 1983 letter and an inspector came down to verify the vehicle details. We got a new MOT certificate, insurance and Road tax (£125.00).
The Moke was finally back on the road on 1st April 1995.
Simon painted inner floor wells.
January 1994 : Back from the bodyshop & mounted on a trolley for the rebuild.
Above : Subframes & wheels assembled.
Engine rebuilt on refurbished gearbox & hoisted into place January 1995
Below : Nearing completion - my son Simon aged 16
Notes :
June 1992 - I joined the Mini Moke Club after the then SW club representative Peter Jones (lived in Sutton Poytnz) parked his Moke outside my office in Weymouth.
1/4/1995 - First MOT and back on road after rebuild
July 1995 - First long trip to Blackpool (Moke Club National) (722 miles).
I joined the Moke Club after Peter Jones (who owned 2 Mokes and lived in nearby Sutton Poyntz) called into my office having seen the Moke parked outside.
Jan 1996 - Original Speedo failed - sourced a second hand one from a breakers yard. Adjusted to give correct overall mileage from new. In those days, Minis were plentiful in breaker's yards !
31/3/1996 - 2nd MOT (no issues) Mileage 105911
June 1996 - A purpose made rear bike rack was fabricated to Simon's design. This can take 2 mountain bikes and we fitted a 7 pin trailer socket to allow a number plate board to be fitted to the rear of the rack. Still all operational today.
June 1996 - Wheel bearing and front hubs renewed : mileage 107000
August 1996 - New front windscreen fitted with rubbers (after Simon's trip to French Alps). We managed to crack the one bought from Runamoke Ltd but got an auto glass company in Christchurch, Dorset to cut another using damaged as a template. This screen still in place at 2023.
31/3/1997 - Oil change, renewed o/s rear brake cylinder.
25/3/1997 - New steel wheels (5No) purchased as originals started to leak + 2 new tyres. Mileage 114568 (from Midland Wheel Supplies Ltd £146.42 including a set of wheel locks nuts. Wheels still in use but locking nuts removed in 2025.
30/5/1997 - Renewed exhaust valves
11/7/1997 - Renewed front wheel bearings and ball joints. New tyre to front. Resolved bearing problem
15/9/1997 - Mileage 119,038 (after Welsh trip of 738 miles)
5/9/1998 - New points & distr cap
Sept 1998 - Welsh trip mileage 120962 (after trip of 648 miles)
August 2003 - Bartletts : welded plates to n/s/f floor pan and o/s centre box section Mileage 122,760
August 2003 - Moke Club clear out team - bought new panels from last Moke factory in Italy _ panels £629.00. Most used in 2015 rebuild.
18/8/2006 - MOT Bartletts mileage : 124184
16/8/2007 - Ditto mileage 121538
28/07/2008 - Ditto mileage 123078
13/08/2009 - Ditto mileage 124864 adjust clutch
20/8/2010 - Ditto mileage 126591
24/8/2012 - Ditto mileage 129409
20/7/2013 - 2 New tyres Marshal KR11 69T (W.Abbas)
September 2014 - MOT failed with extensive rust found especially in floor panels. SORN made to DVLA and Moke taken off the road. Mileage : 127147. Second rebuild undertaken - see link
The first part of the graph above shows Simon's use of the Moke with trips to university in south Wales, a trip to the French Alps (1996) and my Moke Club Welsh Weekends 1995-1998. From 2000 the Moke was only used locally.
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